


The Poison Tree

by wherethewindfallssilent



Category: Samurai Jack (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Japanese Culture, Love/Hate, M/M, Mentions of Suicide, No Sex, No Smut, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Suggestive Flirting, Tragedy/Comedy, Tragic Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-13
Updated: 2016-09-26
Packaged: 2018-08-14 22:27:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 17,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8031355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wherethewindfallssilent/pseuds/wherethewindfallssilent
Summary: "Why is it, then, that we call you a demon?" "Ha! That is what I have always been, samurai!" "... You do not know, do you, Aku?"A black tree in the wasteland of the Japanese Empire protects young Jack from an assassination during an invasion in his kingdom. Since then, young Jack regularly pays tribute to the strange plant in the wastelands for protecting him that day. However, little does the prince know that the tree contains the imprisoned evil wizard Aku, who is responsible for the destruction of his land many years ago. Eventually, the eclipse arrives while Jack leaves to train against the very demon responsible for saving him, and Aku emerges once more.How much does a little respect and gratitude change? Join Jack and Aku as they cross paths many years later to read about their legend.





	1. Act I

**Author's Note:**

> When you reach the end of this story, dear reader, you have a choice to make. You need to choose between happiness and truth. If you prefer happiness, go no further than the last chapter of this story. If you prefer the truth, then read the Epilogue.
> 
> The choice is yours.

“Aku, your tyranny ends here!” Jack announces as he raises his sword for the last time. During their final battle, the warrior brings down his magic blade against the demon’s very essence. Jack intends to execute Aku for the crimes of his rule. The sharp end of Jack’s blade faces his foe so it reflects Aku, who lays on his back in defeat, in the metal. The red light of Aku’s headquarters causes the blade to glint and reflect the fire-like stone of the cavern surrounding the two foes. Before Aku uses any more trickery, the place where Jack’s journey begins immediately becomes the place where it ends.

 

He dies in battle.

 

Then, a young Jack no older than the age of seven wakes up with a sharp gasp. The child swallows and tries to lubricate his dehydrated mouth when he sits up. The servants glance at the young prince but do nothing to address the young man’s nightmare. After all, the servants have no place interrogating the royal family on such personal matters. However, privately, Jack’s attendants wonder about the silent open-mouthed scream that contorts the prince’s expressions each night.

 

Jack, as usual, refuses to elaborate to satisfy their curiosity. Instead, the child dresses in a white gi that all the royal family members wear. The child scrambles out of his room to briefly greet his mother and her swelling belly. In her abdomen, an unborn sibling reaches the final months of development. However, Jack stumbles when the force of a vice-like grip yanks him back into place.

 

“My son,” Jack’s mother sharply addresses, “do you have the necessities packed for your journey?”

 

“Of course!” Jack announces and beams at the beautiful asian woman in front of him.

 

The empress’s red lipstick contorts, and she purses her lips. Her black hair stays bound by two chopsticks in a tight bun, giving her the regal look of an imperial ruler. She scrutinizes the child for any trickery. However, she finds no ulterior motives hidden in Jack’s overtly-honest expression. Eventually, she uncurls her fingers to release the child and gives the young prince a wide smile.

 

“Be sure to return to the palace before the sun reaches its highest point. If I enter labor, you will be sent immediately to begin your training,” The empress reminds the energetic prince.

 

Young Jack smiles widely at his mother, bows respectfully, and immediately rushes out of the palace. The young prince grabs a wooden sword leaning against the wall of the palace entrance. Dozens of wooden sandals click on the stone path as the people of the kingdom, including Jack, weave in and out of the palace. Eventually, the click turns into a crunch as he enters the sandy ruins of the battle with Aku.

 

The wasteland contains nothing but the charred remains of buildings and, in the center, a jagged tree that emits a malicious aura. Not a single member of the kingdom dares to tread the wasteland excluding the ridiculously brave prince, who admires the arrows in the ground with fascination each time he visits. Occasionally, young Jack tries to draw the swords of dead warriors embedded in the ground, but he always fails to wield the heavy metal. The child falls spectacularly on his butt, stands up, and dusts off the ash from his gi before he approaches his goal.

  
  
Young Jack stops in front of a short tree in the center of the wasteland.

 

Young Jack sits against the black bark and traces the wood with a childlike fascination. The prince's mischievous grin stays on his face as he begins to climb the small tree. Once he reaches the top, he takes a couple of flowers and ties them to the branches.

 

The child watches in satisfaction as the flowers instantly wilt.

 

Young Jack frequently makes offerings like this to the tree. Despite the foreboding ambient aura of the unusual plant, Jack continues to visit it with a dedication and bravery unlike any other child. After the prince finishes tying the flowers and each one turns lifeless, he bows to the branches.

 

"I thank you,” The prince whispers to the tree, “I thank you again ... for saving me.”

 

* * *

 

Despite the peace that briefly overshadows the devastation of Aku’s attack on Jack's kingdom many years ago, war stops for no land. A few years before the empress announces her second pregnancy to the kingdom, the surrounding empires chose to exploit the weakness of Aku’s devastation and attack Jack's kingdom. War soon follows, and the eastern empire across the sea overruns the prince's home to pillage the nation's remaining resources.

 

When the invasion reaches the devastation of Jack's home town in Kyoto, assassins begin to pursue the royal family. Jack’s parents decide to flee palace for their safety with their family. His father stays to fight and delay the pursuit of his loved ones. In small groups of two to five, everyone manages to slip out of the castle hand-in-hand.

 

In the distance, a man in white armor battles single-handedly against the worst of man-made evils, war. The soldiers merely stay behind as Jack’s father uses the divine power in his sword to vanquish his foes. However, they protect and retaliate against those that slip past the emperor’s limitless strength.

 

The emperor's sword offers judgement unlike any other. The sword only harms people that harbor a deep-seated evil in their soul. The clear blade never penetrates the flesh of an innocent who only fights for a false ideal. Nothing fools the divine blade. It’s a full-proof method to use on the prisoners that come before the royal family to serve out the death penalty. The blade, similarly, determines whether the invaders warrant deadly retaliation from Jack's people or imprisonment.

 

Five-year-old Jack immediately assumes that the invaders have a more malicious purpose when he hears the screams of women and children on their end of the conflict. The child looks behind him as he runs side-by-side with his mother. The young prince watches blood spills on the battlefield from a fallen enemy with a warrior’s fascination.

 

Jack develops the spirit of the samurai that day.

 

As the woman clutches onto Jack, she yanks the child up to carry him in her arms. The click of her sandals echo along the stone path out of the kingdom. However, fortune briefly slips out of the imperial family’s favor. Just as the empress reaches the edge of the village, her kimono gets caught in the rubble of a falling building during her desperate dash for safety. The rubble causes the woman to fall while Jack tumbles out of her arms.

 

The prince’s eyes leak a few silent tears from the impact of the sudden fall. Nevertheless, the child disregards his own emotions and stumbles to get to his mother. Jack wipes his face and tries to desperately pull her up by the kimono, but his efforts are in vain. The prince's small hands slip off of the fabric, and Jack’s desperate attempt causes him to fall to his knees.

 

Jack’s mother, however, forces herself up on her swollen ankles and rips her kimono out of the rubble. She, too, has the spirit of a warrior. The woman wipes the eyes of the young prince as she scoops him up into her arms. Eventually, she continues to flee the town despite the overwhelming pain that accompanies her with each step.

 

The empress walks until she collapses on the ground once again.

 

Jack pries himself out of the arms protecting him from his mother’s fall. The child gazes sadly at her when she shoves him away. The beautiful woman raises a pale finger to point at the direction the young prince needs to flee. The sorrow on her face mirrors Jack’s when the child reluctantly nods. Jack agrees to part from her. Another stream of tears rolls down Jack’s face as he hugs his mother one last time until she shoves the boy away.

 

Eventually, the young prince wobbles away.

 

The hurried click of the prince’s sandals, however, grab the attention of a few invaders that block the path his mother wants him to take. The child tenses and escapes to the only place no one in the empire dares to enter, the western half of his kingdom. The daring child forces himself to overcome his hesitance and enter the forbidden ruins from the aftermath of Aku's attack. However, his small body only brings him so far before the assasins spot him.

 

Soon, Jack starts to run for his life.

 

The metallic clank of enemy armor rapidly closes in behind him.

 

Briefly, the prince ducks under a portion of the ruins and waits for the invaders to pass. The child keeps moving silently in the rubble to avoid capture, but he freezes when his hand accidentally brushes against the skull of a dead warrior. The child lets out a gasp and accidentally gives his position away to his pursuers.

 

The prince rolls away, but the sword of the nearest assassin tastes young Jack’s blood from the base of his arm. Red dibbles down the wound to the child's white kimono, sending a rush of adrenaline down the boy's spine. Jack forces himself out of his shock and immediately scrambles out of the ruins for safety. The young prince makes a mad dash for the only landmark that gives him an advantage.

 

‘The tree!’ The child thinks, ‘I need to get to the top of it! Those bad men can't get up there with their heavy armor!’

 

It never occurs to Jack that the invaders know how to take off their armor.

 

The child’s fingers desperately curl around the crumbling bark. Jack struggles to get to the top of the dead tree. One of his sandals falls to the ground as he manages to secure himself on the top of the tree’s branches. The prince's blood soaks the black bark when the child rolls on his back to rest on the unusual plant.

 

As Jack heaves to make up for the loss of breath from his sprint, the invaders shed their armor to climb after the child. The prince stiffens when he hears the armor fall down with a clank. Then, the boy screws his eyes shut. He waits for the fatal strike from the invading men …

 

… but it never comes.

 

Jack opens his eyes after he hears dozens of sharp cracks and two simultaneous screams. He crawls to the edge of the tree and freezes when he stares at the two dead men hanging from the pointy branches. The young prince stares at the blade-like wood penetrating the hearts of his pressures and barely comprehends the sight. He watches numbly the tree draws the branches out. Then, Jack's mouth drops open when the tree restores to normal before his very eyes.

 

With horrified expression, the prince leaps down from the the tree with a thud. Jack abandons his sandal on the ground and flees without turning back to the tree, who now dangles the child’s abandoned footwear on a single branch.

 

If anyone finds the time to examine the tree closely that day, Jack’s blood no longer lingers on it. Likewise, the wound on Jack’s arm disappears. The prince never notices the missing wound when he returns to find his injured mother in the arms of his father, the emperor. Jack remains oblivious.

 

* * *

 

 

Since then, the tree gradually turns into a place of comfort for Jack. The prince returns reluctantly with a few offerings to express his gratitude as custom. Soon, the child learns that his negative emotions dissipate with each offering to the tree. The anger, sorrow, and fear dwindles each time Jack approaches the plant. He also learns that the tree only accepts living offerings like small plants, animals, and fresh blood. So, the prince eventually indulges the tree and gives into its oddly specific demands.

 

Eventually, Jack’s visits turn from weekly to daily. The prince struggles to imagine life without the tree. However, the boy needs to begin his training outside of the kingdom, and he knows the time to part from his sanctuary draws near. The young boy closes his eyes and presses his ear against the bark to listen for the strange pulse of life underneath the dead wood. The child uses the lively beat to strengthen his courage and prepare himself to face the world outside of his kingdom.

 

Jack is the only one who knows the tree isn’t actually dead like everyone else believes.

 

The resolve slips into the young man’s voice as he says, “I need to go, and when I do, I will not return for a long time.” The child briefly doubts the tree understands him.

 

He sits in silence for a few seconds.

 

Suddenly, a sharp chill crawls up the child’s spine. The atmosphere around the tree takes a sudden turn from a comforting to a condensing aura that brings the greatest warriors to their knees. However, Jack isn’t a great warrior. He is far greater.

 

“I apologize,” The prince briefly bows before he blurts out, “But I need to train to defeat a great demon that plagues this land!”

 

The atmosphere immediately dissipates, and Jack decides to take that as a gesture to continue. He briefly wonders if a god resides in the tree, but the child ignores the thought for more pressing matters. The prince resumes, “Long ago, an evil wizard by the name of Aku once destroyed my kingdom. Using a magic sword bestowed on him by the gods, my father vanquished him. Years after his evil descended upon my land, my people rebuilt this kingdom.”

 

“However,” Jack pauses briefly before continuing, “My father grows old. My family alone knows that Aku could return from his prison. So, my mother and father created a plan to prepare for the demon. We are ready when the time comes for Aku to fulfill that prophecy.”

 

“I am that plan,” Jack says, “I must train with the greatest warriors around the world to defeat Aku, should he return. Until he does, this tradition continues.”

 

The deafening silence causes the samurai to look away from the tree and up to the sky. The prince closes his eyes as the sun warms his skin, which starts to stick to the bark he lays on. The child clutches onto a tree branch before promising, “I will return, and when I do, I will be older, stronger! When the time comes for me to marry, you are the tree I will perform the ceremony under.”

 

Suddenly, the crack of the tree’s movement startles the prince. Before Jack comprehends the movement around him, a lone branch curls along his wrist. Behind Jack’s head, a sharpened branch waits to puncture the skull of the overly trusting young boy. The child smiles and runs his fingers over the branch. He looks oblivious to the danger looming behind his skull.

 

“I will come back to you,” He repeats, “I swear it.”

 

Jack pulls the branch to his chest and places his other hand over it. The prince squeezes the bark and closes his eyes to rest in the branches one last time. He briefly jolts up when another crack comes from the odd plant, and the boy watches the tree retract a sharp branch from the corner of his eye. However, Jack decides to say nothing about the tree's silent threat.

 

Instead, he closes his eyes to rest in peace.

 

* * *

 

After a tearful parting between Jack and his parents, the young prince begins his journey across the sea to begin his training. He learns how to navigate by the stars and tame the horses with conservative offerings of apples. The child learns how to ride and run. When he enters adolescence, the boy learns how to fight with his own two hands and feet. He eventually trains to wield a staff, a spear, a bow, an axe, and a sword. Eventually, Jack learns the basics of many verbal and written languages across the world and acquires combat skill far beyond anyone else in his kingdom.

 

When Jack arrives home at long last, he returns as the greatest warrior in the world. Later that day, the young adult accepts his father’s sword after briefly hugging his aging parents in the palace. The magical blade gleams as he unsheathes it for all to see. He proceeds to do the first few practice sequences in front of the servants, and thousands cheer enthusiastically for the great warrior when he reclaims the title of ‘prince’ after so many years of traveling. Jack sheaths his sword after adapting to the new weapon from his father and closes his eyes.

 

“Mother, father,” Jack addresses his parents, ”Before the festivities, there is somewhere I need to be. I will return when the midday sun rises.”

 

“Be swift, my son,” Jack’s father says as he rests a firm hand on the grown man’s shoulder. The old man’s wrinkles deepen on his face when he smiles. Then, he turns to his wife and looks back at Jack before saying, “You need to meet your three siblings.”

 

“Three?” Jack repeats in surprise.

 

“Yes, three,” His mother confirms before elaborating, “Two beautiful young women and one spectacular young man. I will allow them to make their introductions.”

 

“I see,” Jack responds with a wide smile.

 

The young warrior turns to take his leave and exits the palace.

 

* * *

 

Jack straps his sword to his side before continuing to the wastelands where the tree of his memories sits. The crunch of the prince’s sandals approaches the spot where the strange plant use to stand, but he only finds a black splotch in its place. The man stares in shock for a moment before clenching his fist and closing his eyes.

 

“I have returned,” He says to no one.

 

“So you have,” A low feminine voice points out dryly.

 

Jack spins around to face the source of the sound and holds his tongue. He admires the woman's voluptuous curves silently. Her skin looks almost a sickly green in comparison to Jack’s, and her short hair and long dress appear darker than the moonless nights. However, the samurai’s eyes narrow at the jagged black sword that dangles from the woman’s side. Then he silently admires her beautiful face.

 

“Who are you?! Why have you come here?!” Jack suddenly blurts out. His hand slips on the hilt of his father’s sword, and his eyes narrow at the suspicious arrival to the wastelands.

 

The woman merely rolls her eyes and dryly intones, “Nice to meet you too.”

 

A silence befalls the two warriors.

 

“I … apologize,” Jack begins hesitantly, “I have spent a long time away from this place, and it has always been sacred to me. My extended separation from this land has made me overly cautious.” Jack stares at the place where the tree of his childhood use to stand before looking at the woman again.

 

“Ikra,” The woman suddenly says.

 

“What?”

 

“Call me Ikra.”

 

“Very well, Ikra,” Jack responds as he firmly holds her gaze, “I am …”

 

Jack stops to ponder his answer. On a hunch, he decides to change his name to something that elicits a reaction from almost anyone in his village. If the woman lives within the kingdom, Jack knows the perfect response to set her off. He suppresses a smirk and neutrally responds, “Aku.”

 

“You dare to foolishly take a name far greater than a mere mortal’s?!” Ikra hisses. The demon’s vengeful spite manages to bleed through the woman's false persona before she finds the patience to stop it. After all, the woman doesn’t have the same self-control she develops after ruling over a century old successful empire in another timeline.

 

'I did not expect that answer,' Jack thinks. He overcomes his shock, however, and responds to the woman with a forced smile.

 

However, the warrior woman immediately takes offense to that response.

 

“I will not tolerate **your insolence, samurai!** " Ikra screams in rage. As she speaks, her voice slowly transforms to the deep voice of a male. After a moment of silence, the warrior woman begins to transform. Her dark essence morphs into tall demonic figure the size of a palace with sharp teeth, a green face, and great flaming eyebrows.

 

The demon immediately attacks the samurai, who avoids the attack on reflex and retaliates by unsheathing his divine sword. Jack immediately penetrates the dark essence with the divine blade, causing the demon to let out a cry. Aku promptly stops in mid-attack to examine the blade. He tenses when he identifies it, and shapeshifts into the form of a scorpion while the prince waits for his next move.

 

The demon doesn't say a word when he strikes the warrior again.

 

Aku cackles as the poisoned tip of his tail aims for the insolent warrior, but Jack merely slices that form apart without earning a single wound. Aku takes on many forms throughout their battle. He transforms into a bird, octopus, snake, and even a dragon, but only his bird form manages to wound the elusive samurai.

 

Jack cries out in pain from the injury when Aku inflicts it, but he ignores the wound for the remainder of the battle. He continues to fight each form until his sword penetrates the dragon soaring overhead. The blade turns black in Jack’s hands when it absorbs the demon. The prince, however, merely frowns and releases his foe from the divine blade after a few seconds pass. Aku groans when he lands in the dirt and glares menacingly at the man before him who …

 

… sheaths his sword?

 

Jack holds out a hand to assist, but Aku merely claws at it before transforming his essence into a spiked projectile. Jack hisses in pain when the demon scratches his hand and shoots Aku a glare. Jack twists at an odd angel to avoid the fatal blows from the spikes that follow. The warrior contorts his body to it’s normal position after re-drawing his sword to stabilize his stance once again. The blood rolls down Jack’s wooden sandals after he regains his footing. However, the prince merely takes a deep breath in, lets it out, and lets his resentment go.

 

“Are you done? I have no intention to harm you, but I will retaliate if you attack me again with such trickery!” Jack exclaims.

 

The prince shows Aku his own reflection in the sword to prove his point.

 

Aku, however, bursts out laughing as he gazes at his own face in the metal.

 

Suffice to say, the sudden sound manages to throw the warrior off for a bit.

 

“ **Why _wouldn’t_ you harm me, you fool? Am I not everything that you sought to destroy? Do you not believe that I intend to spite your world as I did in days long past?!** ” Aku inquires with a cackle as Jack looks at the demon in shock.

 

The prince takes a moment to think and sheaths his sword again.

 

“The past cannot be changed,” Jack says, “All I have is the present and the future.”

 

“And I wouldn’t have either of those without you,” Jack says simply as he watches the demon’s grin grow impossibly wider.

 

 **“So, you know what the tree poisoning this wasteland was? Well, no matter,** ” Aku dismisses before inquiring, “ **Are you** **betraying your family? Will you turn away from the devastation I caused your people? Would you actually be _foolish_ enough to ignore the plights of your kingdom and let me _live_ , samurai?**”

 

The demon decides to test the odd loyalty the child, now man, holds for him with his questions.

 

“… I will not betray my people. If you choose to strike them down again, I will retaliate,” Jack responds firmly after a few seconds of hesitation.

 

“ **Then you are no ally of mine!** ” Aku snarls.

 

“Perhaps not,” Jack agrees.

 

A silence befalls the two again.

 

“ **But you will not strike me now,** ” Aku brings up again after the brief pause. He looks at the samurai almost as if the wizard's puzzled by something. Aku barely hides his fascination after pointing out this unusual fact about the prince. However, Jack doesn’t even _flinch_ at the sight of demon’s scrutiny!

 

“No,” Jack confirms.

 

“ **Why not?** ” Aku asks calmly.

 

Jack stays silent, and the demon merely taps his claws impatiently. After a full minute, Aku roars, “ **Today, samurai!** ”

 

“Do you want me to kill you?” Jack retorts.

 

“ **What kind of fool would desire such a thing?!** ” Aku snaps.

 

“Then I ask that you do not press the matter further!” Jack yells back with a note of finality in his voice.

 

“ **Very well,** ” Aku reluctantly concedes, “ **However, you have me curious, samurai. I demand to know how long have you known that the tree was, in fact, the Great Aku!** ”

 

Jack eyes Aku for a minute before answering, “Since I left.”

 

Aku gives the samurai bewildered look and demands for the prince to elaborate. Surprisingly, Jack chooses to indulge Aku with a response and the tiniest of smiles. The prince walks up to Aku and explains, “I saw the branch out of the corner of my eye. I concluded that you intended to kill me, but you hesitated. After that, it did not take me long to figure out why you _wanted_ to kill me in the first place.”

 

“ **I am aware of that day. There is no need to narrate more than necessary,** ” Aku responds. He grinds his teeth in agitation the minute his long buried blunder resurfaces again. The demon promptly turns his head away from the prince.

 

The demon looks noticeably more rigid than normal too.

 

“So,” Jack continues anyway, “I made a decision not to fight. Unless you endanger my family and my people, I have no intention of attacking you. I prefer not to be an enemy, demon, even if I will never be an ally.”

 

Aku turns back to the prince and stares at the smile stretching across Jack’s face. The demon gazes at the expression like it’s the most interesting thing in the world. This mortal makes no sense to Aku! The wizard knows the huge price this samurai pays by refusing to slay Aku now. If Jack doesn't kill Aku, then his kingdom faces a threat that may claim the lives of thousands! If Aku stays alive, it’s only a matter of time before the samurai witnesses the destruction of his people.

 

' **The fool knows this, yet he persists! Why?!** ' Aku wonders. However, the demon decides not to question this strange brand of logic. Instead, he takes advantage of this situation. ‘ **The circumstances could not be more favorable to me,** ’ Aku thinks with a menacing grin. However, the demon’s grin quickly dissolves into a frown. He wonders, ‘ **T** he **samurai knows the extensive consequences of this decision. Why is this pathetic man smiling?** ’

 

Jack smiles at Aku as the price waits for the demon's answer.

 

‘ **What kind of fool would smile at the prospect of death?** ’ Aku ponders before concluding, ’ **No matter. Mortality is of no concern to me.** ’

 

“How long have you waited for my return, demon?” Jack inquires before Aku manages to snap out of his musings.

 

“ **Since my release during the eclipsed sun,** ” Aku responds off-handedly, “ **I do not have an exact estimate. Time means nothing to the immortal Aku!** ”

 

The samurai’s inquiry starts to annoy Aku. The demon has no interest in pondering matters of time long passed.

 

“That was thirteen years ago, demon! You waited thirteen years?” Jack asks in disbelief. The prince gazes up at Aku in surprise.

 

“Obviously,” Aku rolls his eyes again. Thirteen years means nothing to him.

 

However, it means the world to the mortal in front of the demon.

 

An awkward pause falls between the two. Aku just stares at Jack with clear boredom on his face. The samurai squirms a little under the unusual circumstances and looks away from Aku. The demon watches as a bead of sweat drips down the man’s face.

 

“I … see,” Jack hesitantly speaks up, “Do you …”

 

“ **Out with it, fool!** ” Aku snarls.

 

“Do you have a human form that is less obviously inhuman?” Jack snaps back. All the warmth in the man’s voice immediately dissipates.

 

“ **What was ‘obvious’ about 'Ikra?'** ” Aku retorts.

 

“Only someone who dabbles in magic would have unusual green skin yet move as if they are not ill! Those familiar with such lore will detect you immediately, demon,” Jack points out.

 

“ **Detect me? Explain! Why would I, the Master of Masters, have to avoid _detection?_** ” Aku inquires with clear distaste in his voice.

 

“I intend to bring you into my land as a companion who decided to accompany me for the remainder of my training. You will be seen as a friend of the imperial family,” Jack responds.

 

Aku stares for a minute before letting out a roar of laughter, “ **N-now- ha ha ha! Why would _I_ do _that,_ fool?!**”

 

Jack fails to answer the demon’s inquiry for a few seconds. Eventually, he blurts out, “It’s … something I want for you, demon!”

 

“ **Why?** ” Aku repeats with a mocking laugh, “ **I have no need for the bonds you speak of!** ”

 

“Need matters little. Do you _want_ the adoration of my people or not? A companion of mine will share in my honor,” Jack’s stern tone silences the demon. Aku pulls his head closer to Jack and eyes the mortal with a single giant eyeball. Eventually, Aku pulls back after he finishes examining the samurai's expression.

 

“Very well,” Aku agrees hesitantly. The demon intends on forcing the people to like him anyway when he conquers this pathetic planet, but the prince offers a more reasonable path. Perhaps, trickery works better than blatantly invading the very kingdom that wants the demon’s destruction.

 

“But, in exchange, I demand your worship! You will construct a shrine of my original form where you will continue to make your daily offerings.”

 

“Never! You know the risk you ask me to take by doing this!” Jack shouts in an accusatory tone.

 

“ **Obviously,** ” Aku repeats in a dry voice, “ **However, unless you offer something worth my time, I will follow no foolish plans of yours.** ”

 

To the demon’s surprise, Jack grits his teeth and walks over to Aku. The samurai looks up to the demon and proclaims in a strong voice, “Very well.” The samurai bows, refusing to look up at the demon’s smug expression.

 

A mischievous grin stretches across Aku’s face after he gets the samurai’s answer.


	2. Act II

“You returned well past the midday sun!” Jack’s mother immediately scolds. Not even her long departed son avoids her wrath when he returns. However, she freezes when she spots the beautiful companion at her son's side. Jack’s mother curiously examines the tall woman beside him.

 

Jack’s companion wears a pink kimono adorned with orange and yellow decor with red lining. She looks stunningly pale, bringing out the red lipstick adorning her face even more. Three red dots adorn her cheeks and one on her forehead look exotic. Crimson needles hold her hair in a thick black bun. Two metal fans as sharp as the blade of Jack's sword stay in her hands at all times.

 

“Greetings,” Jack’s mother says breathlessly before bowing, “I am the empress of this land and, more informally, the mother of your companion. May I have your name?”

 

Jack watches his companion make a gesture with her hands and turns to his mother. The empress gives her son a puzzled look from the beautiful girl's lack of response. Jack, however, says, “She does not speak. However, her beauty and grace speak volumes.”

 

Jack grins in satisfaction when Aku hides her face behind one of the fans to glare at him. The samurai merely raises an eyebrow at the girl while the demon’s eyes narrow. The shock on Aku’s face when Jack winks becomes one of the prince’s favorite memories to date.

 

Eventually, Jack turns back to his mother.

 

“The people of her land called me … Jack,” Jack says as he recalls his nightmares. Then, he continues, “So I called her … Jill.”

 

“I see,” The empress responds. She watches as her son’s hand wraps around the beautiful stranger’s delicate one. The clear intimacy of their relationship stuns the empress for a moment. Eventually, Jack’s mother murmurs, “You have grown up so much since I’ve seen you last.”

 

“I have,” Jack agrees.

 

“Well, let’s move on. Your siblings are excited to finally meet their older brother!” The empress says with a smile. She glances briefly at Jack’s companion and addresses her, “You may come along too if you wish, Jill.”

 

Jill nods and smiles politely until Jack’s mother turns around. Then, the demon in disguise spends the rest of the walk making angry faces at Jack, who covers his mouth to prevent the laughter from bubbling out of his throat. Jack informs Aku how ridiculous his expressions are with a barely audible whisper that looses volume in the bustle of the palace. However, the samurai's words only serve to infuriate Aku more.

 

Jack briefly doubles over in silent laughter.

 

Just when Jill tries to stomp on Jack's toes, the empress faces the pair again to find a bizarre sight. Her son appears to hold in his laughter while the girl clearly looks frustrated. However, the two return so quickly to their normal appearance that Jack’s mother wonders briefly if it's simply a trick of the light. The empress remains unaware that her simple act of glancing back at them keeps Jill from burning down the palace.

 

“These, my son, are your siblings!” Jack’s mother proclaims as she yanks back the wooden sliding doors. Behind the doors, two beautiful women in white gi with the same soft faces as their mother and the equally captivating eyes of their father sit to enjoy their tea. Both of the women’s buns bob as they turn sharply to see their eldest brother for the first time.

 

“The beautiful girl with the longer hair reaching to the floor is the youngest twin sister, Yamatohime. The other beautiful girl with the short bun is Oonakatsuhime, the eldest of the twin sisters. Your brother is the second oldest in the family, and his name is Ootarashihikoosirowake,” Jack’s mother calmly explains.

 

The two girls bow before Jack when the empress takes her leave, and everyone at the entrance return the gesture immediately. Suddenly, the disguised demon takes both the girl’s hands, and she blatantly kisses the back of them in front of their brother. The two princesses giggle at the bizarre gesture from the odd woman until Jack interjects. The prince intends to protect his siblings from Aku's influence.

 

“What has happened to this land while I was away, my sisters?” Jack inquires.

 

He shoots a brief glare at Aku when the two princess look at each other.

 

Jill responds with a malicious smirk.

 

“Many things, brother,” Yamatohime immediately answers as she meets her brother's gaze, “Once again, our people been overrun by the land across the seas, Chuugoku. However, Susanoo stirred up a thick storm and struck them down with a vengeance! The shrines are filled with offerings to that god this year.”

 

“The spoils of their land that do not go to the gods rest within the palace and, later, come to us,” Oonakatsuhime interjects, “Father rewards us with beautiful gifts from his victories. After all, it is our duty to attend to war preparations, such as rationing.”

 

Jack sends a warning stare at Aku when the two girls turn around to present the gifts to their brother. The demon's hands hover dangerously close to his sister's asses without coming into contact with them. Then, Jill continues to inappropriate gestures, infuriating the warrior. When the sisters gather gemstones of astounding shape, size, and color, Jill stops abruptly and smiles innocently at the princesses. The demon, of course, decides to hide her true nature from the young women. When Jill turns to the girls and continues to silently compliment the sisters' trinkets, a growing vein begins to visibly form on the side of Jack’s forehead. Then, the prince takes Jill's hand and quickly yanks her back before his anger dissipates.

  
  
“Excuse me,” Jack says, “We are going to take our leave. There is still much for my companion to see.”

 

“Of course!” Yamatohime proclaims before bowing. The strands of black hair drape over the sides of her face as she humbly looks to the ground.

 

Her sister, Oonaktsuhime, follows in suit and says, “Don’t be a stranger.”

 

“I promise to visit again,” Jack reassures before pulling Jill, who winks at Jack’s sisters on her way out, to the door.

 

The woman offers Jack a smug grin, and Jack retorts with a nasty glare. The prince slams the woman into the wall of the palace and  whispers, “If you go _near_ my sisters, demon, I will not hesitate to _vanquish_ you.”

 

Jill only retorts with an even wider grin.

 

Jack decides to ignore the response and tug the woman out of the palace. Soon, the click of the pairs wooden shoes fill the crowded grounds with several other travelers. Jack and Jill examine the unusual gathering and glance at each other in bewilderment. Then, Jill points at a sign-in area.

 

“‘Warrior’s Competition?’” Jack reads the scroll on the booth out loud. Fascination highlights the prince's tone.

 

Jill suddenly pulls Jack over to the sign-in booth before he has the chance to finish reading. She suddenly yanks Jack closer to make eye-contact with him. The prince immediately picks up on the challenge in her eyes and smiles.

 

“I accept,” Jack whispers to Jill before signing his name on the list of competitors. When Jack turns to leave after he finishes, Jill tugs him back and points at the sign-in sheet.

 

“You want to sign up too?” Jack asks and watches as Jill rolls her eyes as if to say "obviously." The woman follows the gesture with a sharp nod and, once again, points at the sheet.

 

“Sir, I’m sorry, but … this is a competition for _warriors_ , not a pageant for _women_ ,” The assistant behind the booth interjects.

 

Jack notes Jill’s frown and squeezes her hand a little. Jill looks down at Jack’s hand in surprise before her eyes meet the determined expression of the prince. Jill smiles after overcoming her surprise and offers the warrior another nod.

 

“You would do well not to disrespect the _warrior_ who will join me in the finals,” Jack retorts with confidence.

 

“I will not allow a women in such a competition!” The assistant shouts with finality. His shout attracts the attention of the other warriors who observe the pair curiously. The man behind the booth immediately jumps from his chair when the samurai slams his hands down on the table.

 

“Then you give me no other choice,” Jack responds, “I am Prince Inishikiirihiko, and I order you by the authority of the imperial family to allow my companion into this fight!”

 

“Y-yes, my prince!” The assistant stutters before quickly signing the scrolls in the woman's place. The man turns to Jill, but lady merely points to Jack to indicate that the prince speaks on her behalf. The assistant looks back to the samurai and asks, “What is the name of this lovely warrior woman?”

 

“Jill.”

 

* * *

 

The day of the Warrior’s Competition draws closer as night eventually descends upon the land. In the obscurity of the shadows, the samurai guides Jill to a separate room in the palace. The price carefully closes the door behind him as the demon takes his original shape. Aku only stands a thirty one centimeters taller than the samurai behind him.

 

With a creak, Aku promptly jumps onto the bed and rolls onto his stomach. He gazes at Jack with a bored expression and snarls, “ **Why are you lingering in my domain, _fool_?** ”

 

“This is a guest room, Aku,” Jack points out, “This is no _domain_ of yours. This is _my_ home.”

 

“ **Bah!** ” Aku responds before promptly rolling underneath the silk covers.

 

Jack winces when he hears the spines of the demon rip through the sheets as he slides under the covers. The warrior makes a note to dispose of the shredded sheets as soon as possible, and his face wrinkles in frustration at the new predicament. However, the warrior spares a minute to take a deep breath and let his anger go. When the prince recovers, he says, “I linger because I have an inquiry for you, demon.”

 

“ **And that is?** ” Aku asks. His expression quickly becomes irritable when Jack hesitates to respond. The demon yells, “ **Speak, samurai!** ”

 

“How,” Jack begins his inquiry, “have you come to be?”

 

“ **Elaborate!** ” Aku demands.

 

“I wish to know about your origin,” Jack clarifies, “Tell me, Aku, how did the conflict between a creature of such evil and my people begin?”

 

“ **Ha ha ha! Why would I repeat a story we both already know?** ” Aku laughs. Then, he suddenly snarls, “ **Surely, your people informed you of the events that took place those many years ago.** ”

 

“They did,” Jack admits, “However, I have learned something in my travels. Even though a story remains the same, every person tells it differently. You are no exception, demon.”

 

“ **I am no mere ‘person’ nor ‘demon’,** ” Aku points out, “ **I am the Great Aku! I do not tell _fairy tales_ unless it's to foolish children. I tell the truths your species does not want to face!**”

 

“Why do you offer such excuses? You have yet to begin your tale despite my inquiry,” Jack retorts, “What holds you back, demon?”

 

“ **Nothing!** ” Aku spits and points at the floor, “ **Sit, fool, and I will retell what we both already know.** ” The demon makes sure that the samurai before him picks up the irritation in the wizard’s voice. Aku eyes the prince when he boldly sits on the demon's bed. Then, he shoves the mortal off.

 

“ **You will take your place beneath my feet, samurai,** ” Aku orders, “ **Sit on the floor!** ”

 

“Very well,” Jack complies, “But you shall join me!”

 

“ **Wha-** ” Aku tries to ask before the prince pulls him on a floor with a thump! The demon groans in agitation and glares sharply at the samurai. He continues to snarl incoherently at Jack for a few seconds before he swipes at the samurai with his left claw.

 

Jack, however, expects the attack and locks his fingers between the demon's. Despite the droplets of blood forming from the cuts inflicted by the claws, the samurai continues to firmly hold Aku's hand.

 

“Please, begin your story,” Jack orders as he lowers both of their hands.

 

“ **Arg!** ” Aku yanks his claw back and yells, “ **Fine, samurai! You will have your wish!"**

 

“ **Long ago in a distant land, I, Aku, the Shapeshifting Master of Darkness, unleashed an unspeakable evil,** ” Aku begins, “ **However, we’re already familiar with these events, and I will not waste my time with useless repetition.** ”

 

“ **Before there were fruits on your trees, water to drink, and animals in your land, there was Aku,** ” The demon points out. Then, he says, “ **There was a time that my power was so great that three of the strongest gods gathered together to smite me.** ”

 

“Why?” Jack asks.

 

“ **Why do you think, samurai?!** ” Aku retorts harshly, “ **Creatures of great power have the potential to challenge their place and take it as their own! I would have done just that had they not banded together for my destruction!** ”

 

Aku takes a deep breath and says, " **No matter.** "

 

The demon grinds his teeth in agitation and continues, “ **What would become the Great Aku was, once, nothing more than an pathetic mass of darkness with no self-awareness after the gods defeated me. The only way to sustain my existence was to drain the land around me to survive.** ”

 

“ **However,** ” Aku pauses before continuing, “ **Your father had gotten word of my presence and the wasteland left in my wake. So, with an army behind him, he entered my forest with his armed people. He intended to destroy _me_ , a great evil far beyond his comprehension!**” Aku waves a hand as flames swirl in the only active fireplace in the room. The demon manipulates the fire to show his attentive listener many things. The wizard displays the destruction of the emperor's army, and he reveals the actions of the last remaining survivor. Aku changes images to show a warrior with an anointed arrow chanting divine words and firing the weapon into a puddle on the ground.

 

“ **And so, because of your _blood_ , I came to be! It was his poison arrow that gave me life,**” Aku announces as the puddle in the flames of the fireplace transforms flame-like imitation of the demon himself

 

“ **I even thanked your father for it, and it will be the last piece of appreciation I give to you insolent whelps! Do you know what the first words I heard were? Your father's response to my gratitude was to tell me he _wants me dead_. That fool who imprisoned me has yet to pay for such insolence!** ” Aku snarls.

 

“No,” Jack gasps in disbelief as he backs away from the demon, “You lie!”

 

Aku, however, takes the mortal’s accusations in stride. The demon rolls his eyes at Jack and moves closer to the prince. Only a few centimeters away from the samurai's face, Aku retorts in a threatening voice, “ ** _Then tell your blood of the information I have given you, fool!_ Speak of a vision bestowed upon you from your travels to divine monuments! Say, perhaps, you encountered the gods themselves! Tell your family what I have told you, and, if they are the honest warriors you believe them to be, they will repeat my words.** ”

 

“ **Have I not told you, samurai?** ” Aku purrs as he circles around prince who backs away from the demon. The warrior hits a wall with a thud as Aku’s face looms fewer centimeters away from Jack than before. The man sweats from the heat radiating off of the wizard’s great flaming eyebrows when he meets the wizard's eyes.

 

A twisted grin stretches across Aku’s face as Jack swallows anxiously.

 

“ **I speak a truth you do not want to hear,** ” The demon announces as a single claw slides along the side of the mortal’s face. Aku’s grin widens when he punctures the mortal’s flesh lightly with it, and he leaves a single scratch on Jack's cheek. The wizard laughs and continues, “ **Ha ha ha! The truth behind your foolish father’s actions in my origin is far better than any lie I could have told!** ”

 

Jack slaps the claw away, shoves Aku back, and promptly runs out of the room. The click of the warrior’s heels fills the vacant palace as he runs to his father’s chambers. He passes by a shadow, however, that stirs awake from the loud conversation within Jill’s chambers. Oonaktsuhime, the eldest of the two sisters, recedes into the unlit passages of the hall as she watches her brother rush by in tense silence.

 

Oonaktsuhime knows everything.

 

Aku slides out of the room and searches the hallway for something or, perhaps, _someone_. The girl gasps when Aku’s eyes meet hers, and she stumbles backwards when she faces the demon's horrifying original form. In an instant, a clawed hand wraps around her. Then, the wizard shrieks to form a time portal in front of the princess. He tosses the girl into the confines of the time portal to a destination unknown.

 

Aku’s laughter fills the vacant halls before he slaps a hand over his mouth, grins, and returns to his room.

 

* * *

 

“Father!” Jack announces before knocking lightly on the door of the emperor's chambers. The prince bows when he opens the door and closes it quickly behind him. He continues, “I apologize for disturbing you at this time of night, but I have no time to waste! I have questions that require your immediate answer.”

 

Both of Jack’s parents simultaneously shoot up in bed upon Jack’s entrance. By the time Jack states his business, both rulers of the land slide out of their bed in their nightwear to listen to their son’s bold request. Both parents take on expressions with varying degrees of concern for the upcoming interrogation.

 

“Speak, my son,” Jack’s father orders softly after a few seconds of hesitation.

 

“Father, the gods have given me vision during my meditation over today’s events,” Jack lies. The warrior clenches his fists and lets it go. He asks, “Are you responsible for the existence of the demon Aku?”

 

The eyes of the empress widen as she clutches onto the emperor's arm. She gazes mournfully at her husband, who looks down at the ground in shame. The empress’s hand runs up to the shoulder of Jack’s father, and she rests there as the old ruler braces himself to deliver the well-earned truth to his son.

 

“I am,” The emperor answers in a tight voice. Tears visibly gather in the man’s eyes as a haunted expression slips onto the old ruler’s face. Not even his wife’s gentle hands manages to quell the emperor's trembling.

 

Jack closes his eyes in distress and clenches his fist. The warrior turns away. However, he speaks, “Thank you, father, for telling me the truth.”

 

A couple of tears rolls down the emperor's face as the door closes behind the retreating back of his son.

 

* * *

 

“It is true,” Jack announces as the door to the demon’s room closes behind him. He covers his face in distress as Aku lowers the scroll in his claws. The demon sets the story aside and rises from his position on the bed to approach the samurai. A claw rests awkwardly on Jack’s shoulder for a moment until the prince's pale hand drapes over it.

 

Aku stares at the hand resting over his for a good minute before finally saying, “ **Come, samurai.”**

 

The demon guides Jack over to the bed and sits down beside him. Jack opens his eyes and stares at Aku for a bit before hesitantly sitting beside him. The warrior sighs and looks away. He frowns at the ground while he stares at the floor in thought.

 

“ **Spare me the dramatics, fool,** ” Aku scathingly cuts in, “ **It is as I told you.** ”

 

“ _Why?!_ ” Jack suddenly asks. He lets out a shaky breath and braced himself for the conversation to come. The prince clarifies, “Why did you attack my people, Aku?”

 

Aku suddenly roars in laughter and-

 

“ _This is no laughing matter, demon!_ ” Jack screams in rage.

 

The wizard immediately goes silent. He squints at the warrior for a moment before answering, “ **I smited this land because your father refused to acknowledge me as a greater power. Rather than bow before me, the pathetic man chose to continue advocating for my destruction. So, I decided that I had to show your species their place.** ”

 

Jack looks up and stares at Aku for a moment in disbelief. He looks away and looks at the window in awe before muttering, “Why is it, then, that we call you a demon?”

 

“ **Ha! That is what I have _always_ been, samurai!** ” Aku proclaims.

 

“... You do not know, do you, Aku?” Jack concludes in surprise.

 

“ **Your species have always used that term to define me, fool! Obviously, my conflict with your people did not give me the opportunity to discuss exactly _why_ I received such a title** ,” Aku snarls.

 

“A demon is-” Jack prepares to explain and stops, “It matters little. It is _not_ what _you_ are.”

 

“ **Explain, fool!** ” Aku orders. Curiosity lights up the demon’s expression as he brings his face closer to Jack, raising an eyebrow.

 

Jack noticeably tenses and answers, “A demon is a hideous creature that causes unjustified death, disease, or misfortune.”

 

“ **Hideous?!** ” Aku exclaims in horror, “ **I, the Great Aku, am the most handsome being to tread on this pathetic land!** ”

 

Jack relaxes and chuckles a little. A smile settles on the warrior’s face for a couple of minutes. He turns to Aku and says, “You are, indeed, quite beautiful when you want to be.”

 

“ **What is that suppose to mean, samurai?!** ” Aku hisses, “ **I am _always_ attractive!** ”

 

The only response Aku's ridiculous proclamation receives is a couple minutes of Jack's constant laughter.

 

* * *

 

The festival prior to the Warrior’s Competition lures Jack’s people from across the land. However, the prince pays no mind to the crowd and continues to rub his back. The samurai cracks his back for the second time that day and winces.

 

Jill responds to Jack’s distress by blatantly slapping the prince's soar back. Jack winces and immediately shoots a glare at his companion. The man turns to the smug girl and whispers, “If I fall asleep by your side again, please have the courtesy to take on a softer form.”

 

Jill briefly scans the crowd before glancing at the samurai at her side. To the prince’s surprise, she actually dignifies him with a response this time. “ **Let me think,** ” Aku whispers, “ **... _No._** ”

 

The familiar tone of the demon’s natural voice throws the samurai off for a bit, but Jack merely shakes his head. The festival is far too loud for any of the other attendees to hear them anyway. After recovering from his surprise, he asks, “Why did you refuse to wake me, demon? I doubt you were pleased that I fell asleep in the middle of your ridiculous tale.”

 

Jack refers to the fairy tales Aku tells that tend to paint the demon as an overly-desirable protagonist.

 

As soon as the words ‘ridiculous tale’ leaves Jack’s mouth, the woman turns her head to glare at the prince. The beautiful woman grits her teeth before whispering, “ **You are a fool, samurai.** ”

 

“What-,” Jack tries to interject.

 

“ **An absolute _fool!_** ” Jill snarls under her before walking away from the baffled prince.


	3. Act III

Before the Warrior's Competition begins later that day, Jack occasionally glances at Jill. The demon refuses to even look his way, and she chooses to glare at her opponent rather than make eye contact with the prince. Unfortunately, the opponent only winks when he notices Jill’s gaze. The demon grits her teeth in frustration at the blatant disrespect and turns away from the other man.

 

Jack tightens his fist and approaches Jill with only a single thought on his mind.

 

‘I need to rectify this.’

 

“A- … Jill,” Jack corrects when he approaches the warrior woman.

 

Jill looks at Jack briefly before stubbornly turning her nose up in the air. The prince pinches the skin on his forehead, sighs, and grabs the demon’s wrist before she has the chance to walk away.

 

“I want to know how to redeem myself to you. I want to _understand_  what I did wrong,” Jack says before continuing, “We can discuss this matter after the competition, but I sincerely apologize for upsetting you.” With that, the prince bows and releases Jill’s wrist before he starts walking away.

 

Jill screws her eyes shut and clenches her fists after listening to the prince’s agitating droll. After she takes a minute to ponder the man’s words, the warrior woman turns around and runs up to the retreating samurai from behind. In an instant, Jill’s hand grabs Jack’s wrist.

 

The prince suddenly spins around to retaliate against a non-existent foe, but he freezes when he notices Jill’s face centimeters away from his own. Jack only responds with a wide-eyed stare when the woman places a brief kiss on his cheek before turning away. A slow smile slides on Jack’s face, and the samurai puts his hand on his cheek for a few seconds before he turns to pursue the demon.

 

However, the announcement of the first contestants interrupts him.

 

“Prince Inishikiirihiko and Samurai Daiki!” The proctor announces to the crowd.

 

Jack turns to face his opponent only to notice an unusually resentful expression on the other warriors’s face as he steps forward. Jack gazes suspiciously at the other male contestants for the source of this malice and notices a similar discontentment in their expressions. Every single angry man watches the prince on the side of the ring while they send adoring gazes to his female companion observing from the stands.

 

Jack turns to Jill and narrows his eyes at her smirk. The prince clenches his fists and turns away to walk into the middle of the ring. ‘So,’ Jack thinks, ‘That gesture was merely another one of your tricks, Aku! Well, your plan to turn my fellow warriors against me has succeeded.’ The samurai squeezes his eyes shut in pain from the betrayal and grabs his wooden sword to face his opponent.

 

The opposition looks like a bulky man in a simple orange kimono outlined by a dark tan in comparison to Jack's white gi. A familiar face glares maliciously at the prince as he proceeds to practice his strikes with his new wooden sword that the competition provides. Jack watches the older man and realizes he resembles a childhood bully from his younger years.

 

Anger clouds the samurai’s expression as additional resentment bubbles within him.

 

From the sidelines, Jill watches Jack’s anger cloud his expression with half-lidded eyes. She smiles a little at the warrior, who proceeds to do a ridiculously more advanced series of practice swings in a fit of non-contact retaliation against his opponent. The demon intends to use her gesture from earlier to observe the true extent of the samurai’s anger.

 

Jack adjusts his feet and takes his stance. No fear clouds his vision. Instead, a righteous anger fills his grip, causing the weapon to tremble.

 

Samurai Daiki mistakenly assumes that Jack shakes from fear.

 

“Begin!” yells the proctor.

 

Immediately, Daiki charges towards the prince with his wooden sword in hand. He wears a strange sort of confidence as he makes a powerful swing. Perhaps, he mistakenly thinks his opponent still harbors the same weaknesses from childhood as well.

 

However, Jack manages to make the sword fly out of his opponent’s hands with a mere block from the center of the weapon and shift of the wood’s weight. The act requires barely any movement. Daiki shouts in rage and attempts to knock the samurai back with his body after the sword flies out of his opponent's hand, but Jack immediately turns the man’s own power against him. In seconds, the opposing samurai falls to the ground in shame while the prince brushes off his gi.

 

Jack turns away from Daiki and stands victorious.

 

In an instant, the observers cheer for their prince. One particular observer, however, stands up and approaches Jack.

 

“I have no desire to speak with you now,” Jack says coldly to the woman approaching him.

 

Jill merely grins and takes the prince’s hand, pulling him aside. She eventually finds a location behind a statue to guarantee some privacy. Eventually, the demon turns to Jack with a huge grin.

 

“What is this about, Aku?” Jack demands.

 

“ **Again, fool,** ” The demon speaks in her original voice, “ **Spare me the dramatics. You should be proud of your victory.** ”

 

“A victory out of anger is a greater loss,” Jack retorts, “For there is no satisfaction from such a thing.”

 

“ **Anger brings the satisfaction of suffering,** ” Aku calmly responds, “ **That is, only if you _accept_ such a satisfaction, and you currently do not. Hanging on to your pathetic morals in battle amounts to _nothing_ , samurai. It only leaves you with the burden of unnecessary guilt at the end of your species’ foolish wars.**”

 

The demon places both of her soft hands on the side of the prince’s face before continuing, “ **And I refuse to let the wars that plague your land damage you for something as simple as your _kindness_.** ” The disgust towards Jack's righteous behavior immediately becomes evident in Aku’s voice before the wizard’s hands drop to the side of her red kimono. The woman scowls and turns away.

 

Jack grits his teeth, but reigns in his anger. He ponders Aku’s words briefly before his irritation completely dissipates. An expression of awe overcomes Jack as he stares at his companion’s back.

 

“You’re concerned about me,” Jack observes.

 

Jill’s eyes widen as she turns around to face Jack. The prince grins smugly in satisfaction from her excessive reaction to his words. The prince's grin widens when the demon immediately glares. Jill clenches her teeth and lets out a frustrated sigh.

 

“ **How very _observant_ you are,** ” Aku retorts.

 

Jack looks surprised by the demon's passive-aggressive admission, but he merely shakes his head. The samurai holds out his hand for Aku to take and says, “Come, demon. There are still many people who reside in this land that recognize your voice. The risk of exposure is too great if we continue to speak out in the open like this. We have idled here long enough.”

 

Jill glares at the man’s hand and outright slaps it away. As she turns to walk away, she stops when she hears the click of the samurai’s sandals behind her. After a moment of hesitation, Jill carefully glances back at the samurai and takes his right hand. The two warriors stare at their interlocked fingers for a moment and before they both look away, refusing to meet the other’s eyes.

 

As silence befalls the pair, Jack and Jill return to the competition, hand-in-hand, to face the foes that await them.

 

* * *

 

The first gasps of shock during Jill’s match begins within seconds. Rather than taking a defensive stance like Jack does, Jill immediately goes on the offensive the minute the proctor announces the beginning of her match. The woman’s sword shatters the bones in her opponent's arm within seconds. The crowd gasps in horror as Jill maliciously shatters his ribs, left humerus, and right femur before finally shattering dozens of bones in both of his hands with her sword.

 

The girl cruelly turns away after she makes sure her opponent loses the ability to pick up a sword again.

 

The crowd remains dead silent when Jill steps away from the ring. Her cruel actions replace the looks of adoration the other warriors send her way with fear. The demon revels in the distress of the other competitors and smiles softly in their direction, causing them to flinch.

 

‘ **This,** ’ Aku thinks, ‘ **This is the fear these fools should’ve felt the moment they decided to oppose the Great Aku those many years ago!** '

 

“ _Jill!_ ” Jack calls out.

 

The prince stops the warrior woman in her tracks by grabbing the hem of her sleeve. Jill lets out a silent sigh and turns to face the disapproval in the samurai’s expression. Jack crosses his arms and looks at Jill expectantly.

 

“What was that, Jill?” Jack asks suspiciously.

 

Jill ponders her response for a moment before settling on the perfect answer. The girl grins maliciously with a visible cruelty. The warriors observing the pair from afar flinch at Jill's expression. Jack clenches his fists when the whispers of ‘demon’ and ‘monster’ begin to circulate around them in Jill's presence.

 

“Jill, you are a guest in this land,” Jack scolds, “As a guest, you have no right to take away the ability to fight from the warriors of your hosting country.”

 

‘I knew he couldn’t be trusted,’ The samurai thinks. The prince takes a deep breath and lets it out before leaning in to Jill. He whispers, “ _Remember your word to me, demon._ ”

 

‘ **How could I forget,** ’ Aku thinks sarcastically before responding to Jack with a bow.

 

After Jack confronts the demon, the remainder of the competition goes smoothly without any more life-altering injuries on Jill's behalf. The individual abilities of the two warriors overwhelm the competition to the point many competitors drop out of their matches with Jack and Jill, especially when facing the wrath of the only warrior woman in the competition.

 

Inevitably, Jack and Jill stand against each other in the final match.

 

The royal family sits to the side to observe, but a tension lingers among every single member. The royal family refrains from informing Jack about the missing imperial sister, Oonaktsuhime, until the competition finally ends. The emperor, empress, and princess have been restless. Not a single member of the royal family, attendant, or servant manages to find the eldest sister before the match.

 

Nobody intends to inform Jack of the search for his missing sister so he focuses on the match and brings honor to the family.

 

Jack narrows his eyes and raises his wooden sword at his female opponent, intending to take his match with Jill seriously. Jill similarly takes a threatening stance the moment she faces the prince.

 

The two stare at each other unblinkingly for nearly a minute before the match begins.

 

‘You could cut this tension with a knife,’ The proctor thinks. The man shakes off the thought and raises his hand. An odd feeling of foreboding makes him take a step back before he shouts, “ _Begin!_ ”

 

The moment he sees the two wooden swords in the warriors’ hands begin to crack upon impact, the proctor decides to always rely on his premonitions. If he moves a second later away from the two, who knows what kind of limbs the two warriors have the strength to shatter.

 

Jill resorts immediately to dirty tricks. She attempts to trip him, shatter Jack's hands, and even ‘accidentally’ stepped on his feet on more than one occasion. The woman grins cruelly as she thrusts every last bit of supernatural strength in her strikes.

 

Jack, however, quickly sees through the demon’s trickery. The samurai turns the power in the strikes against the opposing force, and, when Aku’s sword slips, he throws off Jill’s balance by shattering the sword in her hands.

 

Jill grits her teeth the moment the proctors give Jack the victory. However, her anger gives way to bewilderment when the samurai holds out his hand to shake hers. The demon narrows her eyes in a vain attempt to understand the intentions behind this action before she hesitantly complies.

 

When a hand slides into Jack’s palm, Jack brings it to his lips and places a kiss on it. He glances up at Jill only to see her open-mouthed shock at the samurai’s actions. Jack responds to the demon’s shock with a mischievous wink.

 

Jill grinds her teeth in frustration.

 

“Perhaps,” Jack’s mother whispers to the emperor, “We should start rejecting engagement proposals for our son’s hand in marriage.”

 

Jack’s father nods in agreement.

 

In the back of a crowd, however, a young woman adorned in a beautiful orange kimono and headdress turns away from the two warriors. The pain on her face becomes visible as she watches her childhood friend fall under the allure of that cruel witch in the ring. Anna thinks back to the day a far younger Jack tries to pluck an apple from the Tree of Wisdom for her, and she walks away with a sudden air of determination. To free the kind soul of the prince from the grasp of evil, she decides to travel to the heart of the land to consult the monks for a way to reveal the true nature of the monster accompanying him.

 

Jill watches Anna’s retreating back and raises an eyebrow. Something about the retreating woman's behavior prior to her leave looks odd. However, the demon pays no mind to the girl eyeing Jack and jill from afar. Instead, she pulls the samurai by the hand away from the ring to celebrate.

 

* * *

 

The celebrations that night overwhelms the grounds of the palace with sake and song. Not one person, excluding those searching for the missing member of the imperial family, walks around without a bottle of the finest alcohol that night.

 

Laughter fills the palace for the first time in ages since the beginning of the war overseas.

 

Jack and Aku, however, isolate themselves to the privacy of the demon’s room to enjoy the party. The wizard drowns bottles of the celebratory sake within minutes while Jack’s face immediately flushes after the first initial sip. After Aku taunts Jack for his liquor intolerance, the pair drunkenly converse until the late hours of the night.

 

“Tell me, demon,” Jack asks with a hiccup, “Do you want to play a brief game?” The warrior pulls out an old ball that use to sit idly around the palace and slides it out of the inner robe of his gi. The man smiles up and holds the ball up to Aku.

 

“ **Do you intend to do this indoors?** ” Aku inquires, “ **Where we will undoubtedly cause damages to the delicate objects of this palace and distress from such foolish antics?** ”

 

The demon perks up immediately at the thought of someone else's misfortune.

 

“The intention, Aku,” Jack slurs, "Is to enjoy ourselves. I have no interest in causing misfortune."

 

“ **You should abandon those pesky morals of yours, samurai,** ” Aku responds with a grin, “ **It will make you far more entertaining**.”

 

“Never!” Jack retorts and sways, nearly knocking several pieces of furniture.

 

Aku bursts out laughing at the samurai's drunken hypocrisy.

 

Eventually, the pair end up kicking the ball indoors. Jack, apparently, makes it his mission to prevent Aku from deliberately damaging any furniture each time he knocks the ball back with his superhuman strength. However, the reduced coordination causes the samurai to pass out on the floor after taking a hit to the head in the middle of the game.

 

Aku tuts and yanks the samurai onto his bed. The demon tosses the man haphazardly along the right half of the mattress while the wizard sits on the left. Aku lays down on his side and faces the warrior, curiously observing the peacefully resting man.

 

The demon frowns after a minute. Then, he scowls when he realizes how much time he wastes with his ridiculous gazing. After all, what purpose does it serve? “ **Enough of this foolishness!** ” Aku announces before sitting up.

 

The demon tries to shake the samurai awake.

 

“ **I demand you wake up, samurai!** ” Aku yells as he continues to rapidly shake the unconscious samurai.

 

Jack’s eyes open and offer the demon a half-lidded stare for a few seconds before widening. The prince carefully dislodges the demon’s hands from his shoulders and asks, “How long have I been asleep?”

 

“ **That doesn’t matter, fool!** ” The demon exclaims in fury. Aku releases Jack’s shoulders and sighs in exasperation.

 

“Then tell me what does!” Jack responds irritably, “Why have you woken me, demon?”

 

“ **I want to understand your unusual physical gestures towards ‘Jill’ at the end of today's match,** ” Aku demands.

 

Jack immediately stiffens and says, “I should return to my roo-”

 

The demon, however, stops Jack in mid-sentence and grabs his arm to prevent the warrior's escape. Aku eyes Jack for a minute and suddenly brings his face uncomfortably close. The samurai stiffens the warmth of the demon's breath on his skin and yanks himself away from the demon.

 

The wizard asks, “ **Is it just my female form, samurai?** ” Aku watches a bead of nervous sweat drip down Jack’s face and grins a little. He continues, “ **Or is it just me?** ”

 

Jack screws his eyes shut when he feels Aku’s breath against him again. Then, he slowly opens them to look at Aku. He continues to sweat when he notices the demon's ridiculously close proximity. Perhaps, Aku intends to restrain the samurai again. Jack takes a shaky breath before answering, “Now who’s asking the irrelevant questions?”

 

 **“Irrelevant?!** ” Aku snarls and replies, “ **Samurai, if you have some sort of attachment to me, I would like to know about it so I can properly return it!** ”

 

Jack gapes at Aku in shock and intelligently replies, “What?”

 

Aku, however, suddenly pulls away and grumbles, “ **Now, you will learn what it means to be a _fool_.** ” The demon transforms into Jill and promptly leaves the room, slamming the door behind him.

 

“Aku, wait!” Jack shouts. The warrior runs out the door to pursue the demon, but he only finds a vacant hallway. The warrior slams his fist on the wall in frustration and goes back inside to sit on the demon’s bed.

 

“I …” Jack begins, “Aku, I do have a … no, your words are too harsh for such feelings. Perhaps, I should speak from the heart."

 

“You … mean a lot to me,” Jack rehearses, “I’m … similarly interested in you. Perhaps, more so than I can describe.”

 

Jill sits outside the palace and turns off the scrying mirror in the palm of her hand. The mirror not only shows the prince, but it relays his every word he rehearses to the demon. Jill sits for a couple extra minutes by the pond in the backyard. She gazes up at the night sky before coming to a decision. With a fluid motion, the warrior woman gets up to return to her bedroom in silence. She looks at the ground as she ponders the samurai’s words and, more importantly, her response to them.

 

Jack frowns at the silence in the room and promptly lays down on the demon’s bed. The man closes his eyes and promises, “I will inform the demon in the morning.”

 

“ **No need.** ”

 

Jack’s eyes shoot open as he stares at Jill in the doorway. The woman closes the door behind her and locks it before she shapeshifts into her original form in front of the guest in his room. Aku looks down at the warrior with a huge smirk, causing Jack to roll his eyes.

 

“ **I heard everything, samurai.** ” Aku says.

 

“And?” Jack prompts impatiently, hiding his anticipation.

 

“ **It is as I said before. My attachment is similar,** ” Aku admits as he approaches the bedside.

 

“Then … what now, demon?” Jack asks as he looks up at the shadow engulfing his bed.

 

“ **How am I suppose to know? I have no idea what you mortals do about these matters.** ” Aku responds dryly as he shrinks to humanoid size to lay beside the samurai. A single claw yanks Jack against the wizard as the prince looks up.

 

Jack smiles and replies, “You don’t need to think, demon.” Immediately after his statement, Jack leans in to place a brief kiss on the green lips in front of him.

 

After a few seconds of contact, the warrior pulls away with a goofy smile.

 

Aku rolls his eyes and mimics the warrior’s gesture. The demon repeats it several times until the prince insists it's time to rest. The wizard complies with a snort and settles close to Jack ...

 

... For exactly three minutes.

 

He continues to tease the samurai with a mixture of malicious and mildly affectionate comments for the entirety of the night. Jack eventually gives into his irritation and stomps out of the demon's room.

 

He needs to think of an explanation to hide the origin of several new scars from his family.

 

Despite their shenanigans, Jack and Aku remain peacefully unaware of the foreboding storm clouds gathering above the kingdom.

 

There's a big storm coming.

 

* * *

 

A loud crash of thunder causes Jack’s eyes to snap awake. The samurai slowly sits up as he gazes out the window, watching the raindrops fall against the glass. He glances at the long black arm around him when he wakes up. Then, he stares at the close-eyed demon. The prince comes to the conclusion the demon snuck into his chambers at the dead of night. Jack smiles a little wraps both his hands around the demon beside him.

 

Jack looks out the window again.

 

His tiny smile turns into a huge grin as he watches the rain fall.

 

Aku opens his eyes and silently observes the samurai's expression curiously. The demon then glances at the rain and cackles, manipulating the droplets telekinetically so they suspend in mid-air.

 

Jack’s head jolts away from the window to look at Aku, who stares back at him.

 

“Were you actually asleep, demon?” Jack asks, silently attributing the strange phenomenon of still rain to the demon.

 

“ **Of course not, samurai,** ” Aku responds in a bored tone, “ **I have no need for such a state. I sensed the stabilization of your energy, so I terminated my meditation to greet you this morning. Be grateful, fool!** ”

 

“What do you mean by ‘stabilization’?” Jack inquires.

 

Aku rolls his eyes and explains, “ **When you sleep, your soul does not stay within the body. Instead, it suspends just above the physical body where it interacts with the spirit world. That, samurai, creates a process your people call 'dreaming'. You, in particular, tend to dream of past memories.** ”

 

“How do you-” Jack interrupts.

 

“ **Let me finish!** ” Aku snaps. The demon shoots Jack an irritated glare and continues, “ **When the people significant in your life die in another realm, they travel to the one you’re still breathing in. Then, they transfer their memories to your dreams. Without their presence, your species will be plagued with nothing but the horrors of the other realm. They serve as your guardians while you sleep, and you in particular, samurai, are well protected. Hence, you experience the memories from many different fools like you who lead very different lives.** ”

 

“I ... see," Jack says slowly. He barely understands the concepts in Aku's explanation, but he responds, "I somewhat understand a great many things that illuded me before."

 

"I wonder, demon, if that is why I dreamed of you so frequently before our first encounter.”

 

“ **You dream of me, samurai?** ” Aku asks in amusement.

 

“I have since childhood,” Jack answers.

 

“ **Then I must have been the master of your destiny before,** ” Aku concludes, “ **And I will be again. You are _mine_ , samurai. Mind and soul.**”

 

“And the body?” Jack asks slyly with a raised eyebrow.

 

Aku shoots the warrior a dull look.

  
  
" **It is hard for me to believe your people look upon you and see the very essence of purity.** "

 

"Then, perhaps, you should not believe rumors conjured by my people."

 

" **You are the only mortal I believe in** **, Jack,** " Aku sharply retorts.

 

“Jack?” The prince inquires. An overwhelming feeling of deja vu consumes the prince as the name rolls off Aku's tongue. The warrior struggles to recall where the name comes from, but his struggles bear no results.

 

“ **You said ‘my people’ referred to you by that name in my ‘land’,** ” Aku clarifies, “ **Do not tell me you forgot the backstory you gave 'Jill', you fool!** ”

 

“I have not,” Jack answers.

 

“ **Furthermore,** ” Aku continues, “ **I think it suits you, so I will address you as such. The names given to members of your imperial family are too long for the Great Aku!** ”

 

Jack rolls his eyes and smiles a little before replying, “Of course, demon.”

 

* * *

 

“My son,” The emperor begins as Jack moves down the stairs of the palace. The prince acknowledges his father with a nod and approaches him privately after breakfast per the old man's invitation. The click of the samurai’s sandals echo through the palace before stopping in front of the warrior.

 

“There’s something I have withheld from you,” Jack’s father admits, “In hindsight, perhaps not informing you sooner was a mistake, but it’s no use dwelling on the mistakes of the past.”

 

The emperor braces himself and takes a deep breath before saying, “Your sister, Oonaktsuhime, is missing.”

 

Jack blinks at the news and offers his father an uncomprehending stare.

 

“What?” Jack asks.

 

The prince refuses to believe that he hears the news correctly.

 

Unfortunately, the emperor merely frowns and repeats, “She is missing, my son.”

 

However, sometimes people need to believe things they don’t want to.

 

“How?!” Jack exclaims, “Has she left the palace?! When did you see her last?!”

 

“Patience,” Jack’s father replies, “I have interrogated the guards, and none of them report seeing the eldest leave the palace. We searched the castle yesterday, but even the effort of ten thousand men could not locate her!” The old man frowns in concern, clenches his fists, and sighs when the sting of pain from his nails redirects his focus back to his eldest son.

 

“It’s almost as if she disappeared by magic.”

 

“Magic?” Jack echoes. The prince brings a hand to his chin and frowns in thought. He promptly narrows his eyes at a nonspecific corner of the main stairway. With a sneaking suspicion, the prince begins to walk away and start returning to his bedroom to find the demon.

 

As Jack leaves, he mutters bitterly, “I see now.”


	4. ACT IV

“Aku, you have a lot of explaining to do!” Jack demands as he breaks down the door to the demon’s bedroom.

 

Aku picks up the underlying accusatory tone almost immediately.

 

“ **Jack?** ” Aku asks dryly, hiding his curiosity. The demon shifts to face the entrance of the room in his original demonic form. The wizard lifts his head up to meet the warrior’s irate eyes and neutrally points out, “ **Your foolishness will carry my identity throughout your place.** ”

  
  
“You already made it clear that such a thing doesn’t matter to you, demon,” Jack retorts.

  
  
“ **Perhaps ...** ” Aku begins as he looms over Jack. The demon digs his claws into the irritable samurai as the demon holds him in place. The position prevents the warrior from knocking Aku away. The wizard lowers his head to meet Jack’s eyes and continues, “ **... Y** **ou changed my mind, samurai. Now, what brought about your wrath?** ”

 

“My sister is missing,” Jack elaborates, “Thousands of guards could not locate her despite an extensive three day search. It’s almost as if she disappeared by _magic._ ” The samurai narrows his eyes at the end of the sentence.

  
  
“ **And you think I’m the one responsible?** ” Aku asks innocently with an outright malicious grin.

  
  
“I _know_ you are, demon,” Jack snarls, “Do not try to obscure the truth by proclaiming ignorance! I will not tolerate such dishonorable lies.”

  
  
“ **And if I do?** ” Aku inquires as his fingers begin to drum on Jack's shoulder. The claws eventually dig into the prince's gi, and the pain causes the samurai to wince and glare up at the demon. Aku's hostile gesture manages to bring out an intense hatred bubbling behind the warrior’s eyes, and the man grips his sword threateningly.

 

“Then I have no choice,” Jack responds coldly.

  
  
Aku bursts out laughing and takes advantage of the proximity to press his forehead against the warrior's. With a grin, the demon announces, “ **Your foolish sister is very much alive. I have not broken our agreement**.”

  
  
“ _Where is she, demon?!_ ” Jack shouts through gritted teeth.

 

“ **Your _sister_ discovered ‘Jill’s’ identity because of a misguided curiosity about her brother,** ” Aku begins, “ **So, I flung her into the future.** ”

  
  
“Then bring her back!” Jack sharply orders.

  
  
“ **I cannot,** ” Aku sneers.

  
  
“Why not?!” Jack screams.

  
  
“ **To prevent a disruption in the timeline, I can only send you pathetic creatures further into the future,** ” Aku explains, “ **Even my greatest magicks cannot bring anyone _back_.** ”

  
  
“You cannot?!” Jack echoes in disbelieve and clutches the hilt of his sword. The samurai turns away and squeezes his eyes shut to reign in his violent impulse. Suddenly, he opens them and makes his way towards the open door in determination.

  
  
“ **... Jack,** ” Aku hesitantly calls and reaches out towards the warrior.

  
  
Jack, however, doesn’t turn around. When Aku's hand reach him, the warrior merely knocks the larger claw away. He ignores the demon's snarl and walks out the door. The warrior closes it without a word of apology for his blatant disrespect.

 

The door cracks when it slides shut, causing Aku to wince a little.

 

Aku stays in his room, and a large scowl twists the demon’s expression for the remainder of the day.

 

 

* * *

 

The click of the samurai's sandals nearly stop in front of Aku's door a couple hours later. In front door, Jack takes a deep breath and lets it out before speaking. “Come, demon,” Jack orders coldly, “My mother insists that you join us for my inauguration ceremony. As of today, I will claim my birthright.”

  
  
“ **You could open the door and face me, fool!** ” Aku snarls behind the sliding door. He hits the wood in frustration and scowls at the ground.

 

Jack tenses when he hears the demon's claws pound on the door.

 

The samurai narrows his eyes and responds, “I don’t want to look at you for what you’ve done. If this is what you can do to my family, imagine what cruel deed you could do to the people under my  _protection._ "

  
  
Aku scowls and retorts, “ **Ha! And you choose to turn away from the Great Aku after I found a loophole in the terms _you_ set? How amusing!** "

  
  
The demon's voice grows deadly, he points out, " **You talk of _honor_ and _righteousness_ , yet you have _none_ when you have _lost t_ o me with _the very terms you set._ But  _think,_ samurai! I could have negated your terms this entire time. Have you ever thought ****_for one minute_** **in that foolish brain of yours that if I _wanted_ to evict your people from this land, I would have done it already?** "

  
  
“Then why didn’t you?” Jack asks tensely as he slides the door open.

  
  
The wizard responds to Jack's inquiry with an impatient stare. The low tones of Aku’s voice booms throughout the room as he answers, “ **There would be nobody to rule.** ” After he answers, Aku shapeshifts into Jill's familiar figure.

  
  
Jack spins around and walks ahead of Jill, abandoning her in the guest room.

 

Aku wonders briefly if Jack, perhaps, expects a different answer from him.

  
  
However, the demon does nothing, and that inaction turns into his worst mistake.

 

* * *

 

Before the ceremony begins, Jack rises from the temple to inform his ancestors of his ascension into the throne in his father’s place. While the prince meditates at the private ceremonial rooms, his father presents him with two other sacred treasures of their land. The beaded necklace from the gods themselves adorns the prince’s outfit while the mirror of Amateratsu, the goddess of the sun, rests in his hands. With all three sacred treasures in hand, Jack makes his way to the second part of the ceremony, the enthronement.

 

As Jack passes his family to make his way to the throne, he wonders what to say to his people. After he takes the throne, he needs to announce his intentions as emperor to his people. The prince, however, sweats nervously when he tries to think of what to tell them.

 

'Fighting Aku was my only aspiration,' Jack thinks.

 

Furthermore, the man has no idea what issues plague his own people after spending many years in training. Jack’s hand slides on the hilt of his sword as the ceremony begins in front of the palace. The prince tightens his grip on the sword as he sits before his people. The warrior accepts the staff of the imperial rulers and furrows his brows in concern the entire time.

 

‘What do my people want from me?’ Jack thinks as he furrows he gazes at his sheathed divine blade. The former prince slides the sword out a little to look at his reflection. A samurai in a thick kimono designed for an emperor stares back at him, but Jack doesn't believe he is this man.

 

Jack wants to be a humble traveler rather than a ruler of a vast eastern empire.

 

The new emperor snaps out of his thoughts when he notices how patiently his people wait for an unprepared speech.

 

Jack holds back a grimace.

 

However, when the prince meets Jill’s gaze in the crowd, he immediately relaxes. The samurai’s eyes widen in realization a moment later, and he suddenly smiles at Jill. The demon clearly looks a bit thrown off by the warrior’s expression and sends the man a puzzled look. Aku knows that the samurai rarely lets go of grudges from their exchanges that easily.

 

Jack rises from his chair and announces, “My people, it is dishonorable to offer many promises that one man could not possibly fulfill in their lifetime.”

  
  
“So,” The new emperor continues, “I only offer one.”

 

“I will defend this land to the best of my ability,” Jack announces, “Whether it is from invaders oversees or the demon _Aku_ , I will keep my word to you no matter what the expense.”

 

Jill smirks a little bit from her brief honorable mention in the samurai’s speech.

 

“If you have any concerns about our land,” Jack begins, “I ask that you do not hesitate to approach me so we can all work together to find a solution.”

 

Then, Jack does something no emperor before him has done. His gaze runs across his people before he smiles at them and _bows_. Few men of such a rank dare make such a respectful gesture to the masses. He concludes, “It will be happy to work with all of you.”

 

The chorus of “banzai” from the people grow louder than any emperor before Jack. Enthusiastically, many approach the stage to shout praises at the new emperor for his humility, who smiles awkwardly in embarrassment from their appreciation.

  

However, Jack's gaze lingers on one particular person in the crowd.

 

As Jack watches Jill from his throne, the demon offers a teasing wink. The samurai responds to the girl’s ridiculous antics with narrowed eyes and-

 

“Stop the procession!” A woman announces loudly to the people before screaming her intentions, “I accuse the new emperor of treason!”

 

Jack turns to face the voice, and he makes eye contact with the patronizing glare of his childhood friend, Anna.

 


	5. ACT V

Anna tears up and promptly tears her eyes away from the former prince. With a trembling hand, she raises an elixir from the monks. The green fluid glints in the sunlight briefly peaking out of the clouds, and she deliberately splashes the oils onto Jill.

 

The people watch in horror as Jill groans and rapidly expands in size! Soon, the girl’s form dissolves into a black mass that towers over the palace. Two great flaming eyebrows ignite as Aku transforms into his natural state.

 

The demon turns to the girl with a glare.

 

Then, the screams begin.

  
  
Anna, however, shouts over their cries and says, “The emperor's companion is none other than Aku! The monks informed me shrine to the demon made by our ruler's own two hands lies within the confines of the palace! If you do not believe me, I ask that you trust in our gods' words and look through the third floor closet of his room! Emporer Inishikiirihiko has betrayed us!”

 

Jack’s family members scramble into the palace to confirm this information. The new emperor, however, makes no move to stop anyone. Instead, the samurai looks at Aku and boldly yells, “Aku!”

 

Jack's next course of action causes an uproar throughout the courtyard. After the young emperor's eyes roam through the crowd, he orders, “Stand beside me, demon.”

  
  
“ **You have no right to order the Great Aku, _fool!_** ” Aku snarls before, surprisingly, complying with the warrior’s request. The demon shrinks his form to a humanoid size and stands beside Jack with a huff. He smirks maliciously at the people when the panic increases, and the protestors begin to freeze in terror of the sway the prince holds over him.

  
  
“The destruction he caused cannot be undone,” Jack begins, “However-”

  
  
“ _ **Silence!**_ ” Aku snaps at the new emperor.

  
  
Aku meets Jack’s gaze with a heated glare as the prince looks at the demon in confusion. Aku then grins maliciously, but the expression doesn’t meet the demon’s eyes. Instead, he looks empty.

 

“ **You truly are a fool, samurai,** ” Aku begins in a condescending tone.

  
  
“ **Did you truly think I would let you rule independently?** ” Aku snarls as the former prince’s eyes widen. Jack knows what Aku plans to do. The man prepares speak out against the wizard's intentions, but the demon intercepts him beforehand. Aku stills the Jack’s tongue with his vice-like grip over his mouth, and the claw manages to draw a few drops of blood.

  
  
“ **You made this deal to protect your people,** ” Aku points out, “ **But why would I, the Master of Masters, honor such pathetic creatures like you? The only way to save your people if you and the ones present in this ceremony bow before the Great Aku!** ” The demon removes his claw and laughs maniacally. He begins to set the palace aflame with his laser eye vision and breaks the deal.

  
  
In rage, Jack forgets to question the demon’s motive. The former prince starts to tear up from Aku’s traitorous actions. The new emperor screams to express his emotional distress. Then, he hoarsely responds, “Never!”

 

With a shriek of the blade, Jack unsheathes his sword and lunges at Aku.

 

Blind in his rage, the samurai starts to hack at the demon’s very essence without mercy. Aku transforms under the blows and lashes out at the samurai. The wizard's hisses of pain fill the land as the palace sits ablaze behind him. Aku lunges at the samurai but makes no physical contact. He continues to shrink in size with each hit from the blade until barely any essence remains of the creature. With each hit, Jack's sword grows darker and darker until it turns pitch black. The blade stills when Aku’s shrieks finally come to a stop.

 

Suddenly, the sword slips out of Jack’s hand and lands with a clank.

 

‘Not once,’ Jack thinks with horror, ‘Did Aku truly defend against my blade.’

 

The tears begin to freely pour from the former prince's face as he throws down he rips off the beads of the family heirloom that adorn his neck. Jack abandons the imperial treasures of the emperor as he flees the scene while the guards scramble to grab the precious objects.

 

Jack stares at the aflame palace in mournful silence.

 

"... This is all _your_ fault!"

 

The woman's heart wrenching cry spurs the distressed people who have yet to flee the palace to slowly start screaming at Jack. Some throw their sandals, and others throw the dirt on the ground.

 

'Perhaps,' Jack thinks, 'I am no better than the dirt of my homeland.' The prince screws his eyes shut and lets the frustration of the people hit him. The prince refuses to defend himself. Eventually, he opens his eyes and winces when the physical onslaught becomes too much to bare. Suddenly, a flash of determination lights up the warrior's face. He quickly bends down to grab his father's sword and carefully shoves his way through the crowd to avoid injuring his people.

 

The people make no move to stop the new emperor as he leaves in disgrace with the sword.

 

The villagers attending the coronation refuse to stop the prince. Instead, men, women, and children sneer at his retreating back.

 

When Jack finally manages to break through the crowd, the bright red blood on the shredded remains of his gi tell a false story. When the former prince makes his way out of the land, the villagers that fail to attend Jack's coronation in the palace incorrectly assume that the wounds adorning him originate from a battle. Eventually, they, too, learn of the truth behind battle with Aku and the new emperor's treason.

 

Nobody outside of the palace that day learns that Jack's wounds actually come from the citizens rather than Aku.

  

* * *

 

The samurai retreats into the wastelands where the empire use to stand before Aku's first invasion. 'There is only one course of action I can take now,' Jack thinks as he raises his blade. The former emperor prepares to take his own life to make up for his dishonorable actions.

 

However, he forgets an important detail about the sword in his hand.

  
  
The blade bounces off of Jack’s chest when he strikes himself.

  
  
“That’s right,” Jack recalls, “The sword cannot be used in the hands of evil.”

 

Jack forgets that the blade also doesn't pierce the pure of heart.

 

The samurai sighs in defeat and haphazardly tosses the blade aside. The sword lands with another clank among the charred ruins of the old kingdom. Jack trembles and covers his face in despair. He falls on all fours while the tears pour freely from his face.

 

Then, he screams.

 

Jack fails to notice a black essence leaking out of the blade, and the tainted metal of the sword returns to its unstained state. Suddenly, the former prince stiffens when he hears a groan and spins around to stare at an exhausted demon on the ground. The warrior  immediately notices that the wizard looks worse for wear. Jack rubs his eyes. After he concludes that this is, in fact, not a mirage, he stares in disbelief at Aku for an entire minute.

 

Eventually, Jack gets up and slowly moves over to the demon on the ground.

 

The tears of sorrow on the warrior's face immediately turn into tears of joy.

  
  
“ **Don’t you dare sob on me, samurai,** ” Aku growls in irritation. However, the demon’s demand falls on deaf ears.

 

The warrior lowers himself to embrace Aku, and he asks the question plaguing his mind, “Why did you force my hand against you?”

  
  
“ **Why do you think, fool?! I know the tradition of your people! A samurai without honor is a _dead_  man!**” Aku harshly snaps, “ **I will not allow your divine blade to turn against you! So long as you fought against me when I chose to break our deal, you kept your word to defend your people against my presence. The fools' disapproval for your association with me matters not, for you, Samurai Jack, have kept your** **word.** "

  
" **And thus, you have kept your honor.** "

 

"That explains your plan, demon, but it does not explain  _why_ you chose such a path!" Jack exclaims. The former emperor takes a deep breath and closes. Eventually, he opens them to look directly into the demon's. He pins the demon down on the ground and repeats, " _Why_ _did you do all of this, Aku?_ "

 

A few droplets of blood roll down Jack's face and land on the demon.

 

Aku licks the blood near his lips and admits, " **‘Purity’ is an empty word to me, but it holds a great deal of power over you. I will not allow my presence to force you into a lifetime of disgrace and alter that righteousness of yours!** ”

  
  
“ **For those ridiculous ways, Jack,** ” Aku concludes, “ **Are what makes you so _amusing._** ”

 

Jack stares at the demon for a long minute and moves away from Aku. The warrior lingers for a few seconds until Aku decides to get up. Jack turns away when the wizard does. Eventually, the former prince, clenches his fists, and spins back around to face the wizard where he's standing.

 

As Aku dusts himself off, Jack grabs the demon’s dark essence and yanks Aku into a rough kiss. After a few minutes of spontaneous passion, the samurai turns back to face the sunset after and begins to make his way out of the wastelands without another word about the passionate gesture.

 

Aku stares in shock at the former prince’s retreating back after the kiss. The demon slowly brushes a claw against his lips and scowls a little. Aku screws his eyes shut to focus on the darkness within and reign in the odd pressure building in his chest. However, a huge grin manages to slip on the demon's face. ' **If I had a heart,** ' Aku thinks, ' **I wonder if fools like him would make it flutter.** '

 

' **Probably,** ' Aku concedes in the privacy of his own mind.

 

When the samurai doesn’t hear the demon shuffling behind him, Jack says, “Come, demon.”

 

“We have a long journey ahead of us.”

 

**THE END**


	6. EPILOGUE

Many decades later, an old man tells a tale.

 

“You see, in days long past,” An old man begins, “when my homeland finally forged a peaceful kingdom after devastation from Aku, a young prince was protected by a demon sealed within a tree. One day, many enemies entered the prince's homeland. Victory was imminent for the foreigners who traveled from the treacherous seas. The invaders intended to slay the prince and his family during these times of war, but the tree tricked the assassins and took their lives with its branches. To repay his debt to the tree many years later, the prince chose to offer him a place at his side despite enduring many long years of training to slay the demon sealed within the rotten bark.”

 

"The prince knew that Aku was, indeed, the very tree he intended to align himself with," The man weakly admits, "but the young warrior's honor would not allow him to slay the one who saved his life. Despite knowing the demon's nature, he chose to strike a deal with the monster."

  
  
The people in the local pub glance at one another as they listen intently to the odd man’s rambling. The unusual customer raises a trembling hand to sip his tea. Cold old eyes return the patrons' stares. Each person listening to the old stranger dresses in the white attire of the Argrippaeans, whose village remains peacefully hidden by the mountainous and rugged terrain. Not a single hair adorns the locals' scalps, and they struggle to understand the thick foreign accent of the elder before them.

 

Nevertheless, the old man continues his story.

 

"So, the prince and the demon eventually came to an agreement," Jack continues, "If the demon chose to attack the prince's people, the prince vowed to defend them with his father's divine sword."

  
  
“However, the warrior's people could not accept an alliance between their prince and such great evil,” The stranger hesitantly adds, “So, to protect the prince’s honor, the demon chose to break a deal struck between the young prince and the demon.”

 

"The warrior honored his word and defended his people"

  
  
“When the prince turned the blade against his ally, however, the unpaid debt that saved his life drove the young warrior into despair,” The male voice continues tiredly, “He fled his home after fulfilling his duty to his people."

 

“However, Aku was not vanquished, but merely sealed within the warrior’s blade,” The stranger says as he averts his eyes from the curious crowd.

  
  
“So, the two chose to travel the world after they reunited. Time passed, and they fight an eternal battle against one another where neither intend to destroy the other. One undid the disaster the other brought, while the other undid the good,” The old man continues after a brief pause, “For where there is evil, good always follows. Similarly, people who live under all-consuming evil encounter the greatest of goods.”

  
  
“However, the warrior grows old and weak,” The stranger points out as he sips his tea briefly, “And the demon loses interest in the weak. Within a few years time, the prince, now old, knows he will loose their eternal battle, and their decade-long stalemate will come to an end.”

 

The patrons suddenly scramble up when a malicious laughter resounds outside the bar. The screams of terror begin, causing all of the stranger’s listeners to leave and try to save their village from Aku's destruction. As they scramble outside to face the evil that descends on their land, the elderly man continues to sit at his table. He listens to the cries of distress from the Aggripaeans and stands up after Aku fires the first blast of white lasers from his eyes. As he walks to the door, he finishes, “Since the warrior’s blade is the only object that can vanquish Aku once and for all, the prince needs to finally take up the task he abandoned many years ago. He needs to slay the demon, for he knows the day is rapidly approaching when he will not have another opportunity to do so. It is for the good of not only his people, but the whole world."

 

The man rises up from the chair and unsheathes his blade. Jack turns back to the empty bar and says, "The prince must slay the demon."

 

The price, however, hesitates and lowers his sword. The distressed cries of the Aggripaeans outside the bar and Aku's laughter, however, renew the old man's determination. Jack's eyes begins to water. On his way out, he repeats, “The prince  _must_ slay the demon! There is no other way!"

 

Jack, now old, takes a deep breath and lets it out. In a trembling voice, he whispers his last words.

 

"But he doesn't want to."

 

The man exits the bar to end Aku's evil once and for all.

 

* * *

 

Stories of a heroic stranger that fights an unspeakable evil travel throughout the world. The tale of Samurai Jack passes down for generations in hundreds of villages, including his own. Women admire him, men want to become a great warrior like him, and children find inspiration in the warrior.

 

However, very few tell of Jack's adventures in Agrippa. The prince manages to slay the evil that invades the Agrippaeans land once and for all, and Jack disappears after loosing Aku. When the Jack's people find the body of Samurai Jack a week later, the people find what little remains of the man in the charred remains of the wastelands . Nobody dares touch the divine sword, for a self-afflicted wound in Jack's chest taints the once clean blade. The sword only inflicts wounds on those who commit evil deeds, and it becomes clear to Jack's people that the warrior dies an irredeemable man. The citizens of the Japanese empire continue to believe, to this very day, that the warrior haunts the blade after taking his own life.

 

The people who roam Japan eventually learn that coming into contact with the sword is a bad omen. For many centuries that follow, nobody touches the blade except for a young Japanese woman in the distant future. As Oonaktsuhime draws the old blade to combat against the lesser evils of the strange new world she resides in, she notices small Japanese characters adorning the guard just above the hilt of her brother's blade. They read:

 

"You will be happier not _knowing_ the truth-"

 

The young woman turns the blade to read the rest.

  
  
"-But _understanding_ it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading.
> 
> A revision of this work was completed on May 15th, 2017.


End file.
